Paul Skenes ends 4-start winless streak, Pirates end 10-game skid with a 5-3 win over Mariners

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes struck out six and ended a four-start winless streak, and the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped a 10-game skid with a 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

Skenes (7-2), who was 0-2 in his previous starts, allowed two runs and three hits and issued a career-high four walks over six innings in his first win since July 11. That victory came in the 22-year-old right-hander’s last outing before starting for the National League in the All-Star Game five days later.

Skenes was happier about the Pirates getting their first win since Aug. 3 than ending his drought.

“It feels good. Definitely doesn’t feel good that we had the streak in the first place,” Skenes said. “It’s nice to do it at home and get it out of the way. Hopefully, we can put it behind us.”

Skenes impressed Pirates manager Derek Shelton, despite not being at his best.

“It didn’t look like he was in sync with his delivery throughout the entire game, and he was still able to give us a good start and give us a chance to win and he got the win,” Shelton said.

David Bednar weathered a rocky ninth inning for his 21st save. Jorge Polanco homered leading off the inning and pulled the Mariners within 5-3. Luke Raley followed with a single before Bednar struck out the final three batters.

Bednar, a two-time All-Star, had two losses and two blown saves in his previous three outings.

Logan Gilbert (7-9) took the loss, giving up four runs, three earned, and five hits in 6 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and two walks. He did not register a quality start for just the seventh time in 26 outings this season.

The Mariners lost their fourth consecutive game after being swept in a three-game set in Detroit. Seattle entered the game three games behind first-place Houston in the American League West and 3 1/2 games out of the third wild card.

“We had good at-bats against Skenes,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “We wanted to be aggressive, and we stuck to the plan. It’s just that he’s a really good pitcher. We did a good job against him. We played a good game after a bad series in Detroit, but we just happened to lose.”

Yasmani Grandal hit a solo home run during a two-run fifth inning that put the Pirates ahead for good, 3-2. Grandal’s shot tied the game. Then, Michael A. Taylor singled, stole second and continued to third on catcher Cal Raleigh’s throwing error before scoring on Andrew McCutchen’s sacrifice fly.

Oneil Cruz’s two-run double off the glove of diving right fielder Dominic Canzone gave the Pirates a three-run cushion.

“We got the big hit we’ve been looking for — a couple of big hits we’ve been looking for,” Shelton said. “Oneil’s definitely was a big two-out hit there. We have not gotten that over the last 10 days.”

McCutchen and Cruz were injured running the bases in the seventh inning and removed from the game. McCutchen had left knee discomfort and Cruz had left ankle discomfort.

Raley’s two-run home run in the fourth inning off Skenes opened the scoring. Raley’s 15th homer was a 412-foot shot that cleared the right-center field stands.

The Pirates cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth on a run-scoring double by Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: CF Julio Rodriguez (sore right ankle) returned to the lineup as the DH after sitting out Thursday’s loss at Detroit and was 2 for 4.

Pirates RHP Colin Holderman (sprained right wrist) had a 25-pitch bullpen session before the game. He has been out since Aug. 8.

UP NEXT

Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (10-11, 3.40) pitches against LHP Bailey Falter (5-7. 4.07) on Saturday. Castillo has worked at least six innings in his last seven starts, going 4-2 with a 2.27 ERA.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

John Perrotto, The Associated Press